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| Word | Definition |
| Active | a fully initiated member of a fraternity/sorority |
| Alumni | an initiated member who is no longer in college |
| Advisors | alumni or campus volunteer who bring experience and guidance to collegians |
| Bid | a formal invitation to pledge a sorority or a fraternity |
| Chapter | a campus-based group of members that is affiliated with a (inter) national organization |
| Crossing | a term used by NPHC groups to indiacte that a new member has been fully initiated into the group. May also use the term "crossing the burning sands." |
| Formal Sorority Recrutiment | the recruitment period set aside by Panhellic council for membership selection |
| Fraternity | a greek letter brotherhood; the term "fraternity" often applies to sorority |
| Frat | NPHC term used to refer to one's fraternity or a fraternity brother |
| Informational | a forum for individuals interested in seeking more information about a particular NPHC fraternity or sorority |
| Initiation | the formal ceremony during which a new member begins full memebership in a fraternity/sorority |
| Intake | the period of training before initiation when NPHC new members learn the history and traditions of the organization and bonds with his/her line |
| Interfraternity council | the governing body of campus fraternities |
| Inter(national) | tern referring to the central organization of a fraternity/sorority |
| Line | a group of new members in a specific NPHC chapter in a specific semester |
| National Panhellenic council(NPC) | a national governing body composed of 9 of the historically Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities(typically referred to as the Divine Nine) |
| National Panhellenic Conference(NPC) | a governig body composed of 26(inter)national women's fraternities |
| Neophyte | a new member of an NPHC fraternity or sorority |
| New member | one who has accepted a bid to a fraternity/sorority but has not yet been initiated |
| North- American Interfraternity Conference | a governing body composed of 54 (inter)national men's fraternities |
| NPHC Council | the governing body of the historically black greek letter fraternities and sororities at northwest |
| Panhellenic Council | the central governig body of campus sororities |
| Philanthropy | a charitable project sponssored by an organization |
| Prophyte | someone who has been a member of an NPHC group for a year or more, or someone who has inintiated new members |
| Recruitment | the mutually selective process by which potential members and fraternity/sorority members get to know each other |
| Sands | the term used to refer to men and women who were initiated in the same term and year(ex. Spring 2008). Note: they do not have to belong to the same group |
| Soror | NPHC referring to one's sorority sister |
| Sororities | a greek letter sisterhood; sometimes referred to as women's fraternities |
